Valve mounting and novel disconnect check valve means therefor



April 6, 1965 HANs ERNER .BolfG ETAL 3,176,711 VALVE MOUN G' AND NODISCONNECT CHECK MEANS THEREF June 9, 19

'led

'1 e 5| B "l t \2 n* 4*? il. v 2

u lo .le U5 43 l 2 3042424 "39 29 e v (//F'4,.%/\ '5 0 2F16 4- A5 /A3229 INVENTORS HANS -WEzNEz A. Baz@ 24 c2* Kern-H S. QQDAWAY UnitedStates Patent Otice l hfill Patented Apr. 6, 1965 3,176,711 VALVEMUNTING AND NVEL DISCNNEC'E CHECK VALVE llt/MANS THEREFUR Hans-Werner A.Borg, Baldwin Park, and Keith S. lindaway, Anaheim, Calif., assignors toParlrenlflannin Corporation, Cleveland, Uhio, a corporation of @hisFiled .lune 9, 196i, Ser. No. ll6,l65 lll Claims. (Cl. 137-454.@

The invention relates generally to valve means and primarily seelos toprovide a novel check valve arrangement effective whenever a llow.controlling valve such as a distributor valve or the like is removedfrom operative connection with its cooperating ow line or lines toautomatically seal off said line or lines, thus to prevent outspillingof liquid, :as well as any possible ingress ot foreign matter.

It is known to provide flow control valves, such as distributor valves,and to mount them upon a suppont or base to which one or more flow linesare attached. Without special provision against such, as by use ofspecial elo sure plugs, there may be an outspilling of liquid from theflow lines whenever the valves are removed from their supportingmountings, and there also is secondary danger of ingress of foreignmatter into the flow lines. lt is a purpose of the present invention toprovide novel check valve means which will prevent these objectionableoccurrences.

In its more detailed nature the invention seeks to provide a novel checkvalve means per se adapted for the stated purpose, and in combination,`a supporting base, a valve unit removably mounted on the base, saidbase and valve unit having therein at least one set of ow passagesdisposed to communicate when the valve unit is mounted on the base,check valve means mounted on the base and effective Whenever the valveunit is removed from the base .to close off communication through thebase flow passage, and means operable whenever the valve unit is mountedon the base to open the check valve means and provide for communicationthrough the base and valve unit liow passages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a check valve means of thecharacter stated which is spring seated yand wherein the means foropening Ithe check valve opcrates in opposition to the spring seatingmeans and comprises a mechanical check valve unseating means contactingthe check valve and which is movable by engagement of a part of thevalve unit as it is being mounted on the base.

Another object. of the invention is to provide a check valve arrangementof the character stated wherein a rusto-conical baffle is provided yandplaced to ,gu-ide liquid flow about the check valve, the check valveincluding a frusto-conical portion disposed to form a continuation ofthe baille when the check valve is in its open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a check valve structure ofthe character stated wherein the biaiile is lixedly mounted 'and thecheck valve is movable relatively thereto, the check valve seatingspring means being supported on the baffle yand interposed between thebaffle and the check valve. Another object of the invention is toprovide a check valve arrangement of the character stated wherein thereis included a member on the base and engageable and movable yby a partof the valve unit as it is being mounted ton the base, and means forming:a movement imparting couple between said member and the check valve andeffective to impant opening movement tot the check valve `as said memberis moved yby engagement of said valve Ulft pall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a check `valve structureof the character stated wherein the movement imparting couple includesmovement compounding or multiplying devices whereby the movementimparted to the check valve is greater than the movement imparted by thevalve unit part to the movement imparting member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a check valve structureof the character stated where'm there is included a readily mountableand removable casing or housing providing la chamber in which the checkvalve is movable and a seat against which said valve is seatable, thebalfle Aand the movement imparting member being carried by said casingand comprising flow passing spider means, fand the movement compoundingdevices being interposed between said member and the check valve.

A still further obje-ct of fthe invention is to provide a check valvestructure of the character stated wherein the movement compound devices-include a plurality of levers disposed in a generally horizontalposition and radially and equidistantly about the central portion of thecheck valve and pivotally connected at their inner ends thereto, theouter ends of the levers resting as fulcra on an inwardly directedflange of the check valve casing, and wherein the movement impartingmember includes a depending annular rib disposed to overlie and pressagainst the levers at points closer to the fulcra contacts of the leversthan the distance between said rib and lever contacts and the pivotalmountings of said levers on the check valve.

With the 'above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated the accompanying drawing:

ln the drawing:

FIGURE l is a plan view illustrating the valve unit suppont or base withthe valve unit removed therefrom, four check valve receiving bores beingshown, and one check valve unit mounted one of the bores.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation illustrating the base oi FIGURE 1 with avalve unit mounted thereon, parts being broken away to illustratecommunicating flow passages and lines and a mounted check valve unit,the latter being shown in the check valve open condition.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing Ia checkvalve in open position as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

FlGURE 4 is 'an enlarged vertical cross section of a check valve unit,the check valve being shown in its closed or seated position.

ln the example .disclosure of the improved valve structure and partcombination, there is shown a solenoid operated spool-type distributorvalve generally designated 5 having thereon a solenoid operated pilotcontrol 6 and including a plane bottom face 7 through which liquid flowports 8 are projected. As will be apparent by reference to FIGURE 2, theflow ports in the valve 5 are adapted for connection with the flow lines9 secured at l0 in the supporting base member l1 whereon the valve 5 isremovably mounted at l2.

The base member ll is provided with a plurality of check valve mountingbores 13. Each bore 13 is provided with an internally threaded portion14 and terminates downwardly in an upwardly facing annular seat l5through which a flow passage lo opens upwardly from the respective llowline 9, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. A novel, spring seated, mechanicalpressure opened check valve unit illustrated in detail in FlGURES 3 and4 and generally designated l?, is mounted lin each of the receivingbores i3 provided in the base.

Each of the check valve units includes a generally cylindrical shell 1Shaving an externally threaded portion 19 arras/i1 im., 'D

Y row flat seat 21 and an upwardly facing annular abutment shoulder 22disposed in a plane normal to the axis of the shell. The lower endextremity of the shell Vis formed to present an inwardly and downwardlyinclined annular and flexible sealing lip 2.3 for engaging and sealingagainst the shell seat l as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The shell lowerend also provides a seat or recess at 244 in which a spider 25 is pressfitted, the same being provided centrally with a baille cone ring 26.

The baffle cone ring is equipped with a counterbore or seat 27 in whichto receive a compression spring 2S.

The casing or shell 1S is dimensioned so that when properly mounted, asshown in FGURES 2 and 4, its upper face 29 lies in the same plane withthe top surface ofthe base or support lll, and the outer corner of theshell at the top is cut away as at 3l) to provide a recess in which toreceive a seal 3l engaged on the bottom shoulder deining the recess andagainst the undersurface or bottom Jr'ace '7 of the valve 5 as indicated`in FIGURES 2 and 3.

The shell 18 provides a chamber 32 in which to receive a poppet typecheck valve 33, said valve being vertically reciprocable centrallywithin said chamber. The check valve 33 is provided with a bore 34 inits undersurface which is aligned with the bottom spider seat 27 andserves to receive the upper end of the compression spring 28 whichconstantly tends to hold the valve 33 against its seat 2l in the mannerillustrated in FGURE 4. A contact center or button 36 extends upwardlyfrom the valve 33, and mounting ears 37 project radially outwardtherefrom and provide pivotal mountings at 3S and a plurality, fourbeing shown, of equidistantly spaced, movement compounding levers 39which project outwardly over and rest as fulcra upon the shell shoulder22.

n The upper surfaces of the levers are engaged by a depressor rib orring 4@ which depends from a check valve opening member in the `form ofa spider 4l which is vertically reciprocable in a bore 42 provided atthe upper end of the shell 1S. The spider 4l has a central buttonportion engageable at its ylower end with the contact button 36projecting upwardly from the check valve 33 as shown in FIGURE 4. Thebore 42 provides abutment shoulder means 44 which is engaged by a bottomiiange 45 projecting outwardly from the spider 4l, thereby to limitoutward Vmovement of the spider in the bore, and displacement outwardlyfrom said bore.

By reference to FIGURES 2 and 3 it will be observed that the check valve33, when open, will rest at its lower end extremity d6 upon, or lieclosely adjacent, the batlie cone ring 27 with its frusto-coniform outersurface 47 forming a continuation of the frusto-conical baille surface47 of said ring.

It will be apparent that the upper and lower spiders 4l and 25, whileserving as movement imparting means for valve opening purposes, andspring mounting purposes respectively, they also provide for flowpassage through the check valve unit. It will also be noted that whenthe check valve is in closed position, illustrated in FlGURE 4, as whenthe unit is removed from its y mounting, or when mounted as shown butwith the valve 5' removed vfrom the supporting base lll, the solid,upwardly presented annulus i9 of the upper spider 14 projects above theuppermost surface 29 of the shell as illustrated in FlG- URE 4. Thuswhen the valve 5 is applied and secured upon the supporting base lll asillustrated in FGURE 2, its bottom face 7 will contact the spidersurface 49 and depress the spider against the action of the spring 28,which constantly tends to seat the check valve 23. The parts are soproportioned that the central raised portion of the spider 41 canproject upwardly into the respective overlying flow passage S ofthevalve.

it will be observed by reference to FIGURES 3 and 4 A that the dependingrib or ring 4t) of the spider 4 overlies and presses against the levers39 at points closer to the fulcra contacts thereof on the casing flange2li than the distance between said rib and lever contacts and thepivotal mountings 3S of said levers on the check valve. Thereby thedownward movement imparted to the check valve 33 by depression of thespider 4l and through said levers is compounded or multiplied and willbe greater than the movement imparted by the valve unit part 7 to thespider or movement imparting member. In this manner, wide opening of thecheck valve, as shown in FIGURES i2 and 3, is effected by a relativelysmall depression of the spider 4l.

The particular balanced arrangement ofthe check valve in its receivingcasing avoids any objectionable deilection ot the valve by pressureimpact, and the improved valve arrangement avoids objectionable pressuredrops. The particular relation of the frusto-coniform surfaces 43 and 47on the baille ring 26 and the check valve respectively also aids inassuring free owingqof liquid through the casing and flow passages andin avoiding objectionable displacements of the valve.

lt will be apparent that when the check valve unit is properly mounted,as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the downwardly and inwardly angled sealinglip 23 will be resiliently pressed in sealing contact against theseating shoulder l5, and pressure of liquid in the flow passages,including the casing chamber 32, will act upon the lip and tend toincrease its sealing contact against the seat l5.

The valve arrangement herein disclosed provides many advantages, amongthem being minimum loss of uid in. effecting connection anddisconnection of the valve, the provision of a structure wherein minimumtravel of the actuator or movement imparting member is required in theopening and closing of the poppet valve as compared to the relativelylarge opening provided by the movement compounding displacement of thevalve from its seat. The novel design protects against closing of thecheck valve by fluid impingement by reducing the area subject to suchimpingement and also by reason of provision of positive force holdingthe check valve open, through linkage or lever means, rather than byemployment of the usual spring means.

While preferred part and structure arrangements are disclosed in detailherein, itis to be understood that variations in specific structure andpart arrangements may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim: Y

1. In combination, a supporting base, a valve unit removably mounted onthe base, said base and valve unit having therein at least one set oflow passages disposed to communicate when the valve unit is mounted onthe base, check valve means mounted on the base and eective whenever thevalve unit is removed from the base to close oit communication throughthe base ow passage, a member on the base and engageable and movable bya part of the valve unit as it yis being mounted on the base, and meansforming a movement imparting couple between said member and the checkvalve and effective to impart opening movement to the check valve assaid member is moved by engagement of said valve unit part, said lastnamed means including a plurality of levers disposed in generallyhorizontal position and radially and equidistantly about the centralportion of the check valve and pivotally connected at their inner endsto the check valve, an inwardly directed annular flange, the outer endsof the levers resting as fulcra on said flange, and said movementimparting member having a depending annular rib disposed inwardly ofsaid flange in position to overlie and press against the levers atpoints closer to the fulcra contacts thereof on the flange than thedistance between said j rib and lever contacts and the pivotal mountingsof said levers on the check valve, whereby the movement imparted to thecheck valve through said levers will be greater than the movementimparted by the valve unit part to said member in a direction foropening the check valve.

2. In combination, a supporting base, a valve unit removably mounted onthe base, said base and valve unit having therein at least one set offlow passages disposed to communicate when the valve unit is mounted onthe base, check valve means mounted on the base and eiective wheneverthe valve unit `is removed from the base to close off communicationthrough the base ilow passage, a member on the base and engageable andmovable by a part of the valve unit as it is being mounted on the base,and means forming a movement imparting couple between said member andthe check valve and effective to impart opening movement to the checkvalve as said member is moved by engagement of said valve unit part,said last named means including a plurality of levers disposed ingenerally horizontal position and radially and equidistantly about thecentral portion of the check valve and pivotally connected at theirinner ends to the check valve, an inwardly directed annular flange, theouter ends of the levers resting as fulcra on said ilange, and saidmovement imparting member having a depending annular rib disposedinwardly of said flange in position to overlie and press against thelevers at points closer to the fulcra contacts thereof on the flangethan the distance between said rib and lever contacts and the pivotalmountings of said levers on the check valve, whereby the movementimparted to the check valve through said levers will be greater than themovement imparted by the valve unit part to said member in a directionfor opening the check valve, and said annular ilange providing the seatfor the check valve and being carried by a casing providing a chamber inwhich the check valve is movable and which is readily mountable on andremovable from the base, the movement imparting member being guided formovement in the upper part of the casing and there being included afrusto-conical bale Xed in the lower portion of the casing, said baffleand said movement imparting member being in the form of flow passingspiders, and said check valve having a frusto-conical portion disposedto form a continuation of the baflie when the check valve is in its openposition.

3. A check valve unit comprising a generally cylindrical casing havingan inwardly` directed flange intermediately of the ends thereof andpresenting an abutment shoulder toward one said end and a check valveseat toward the other of said ends, a poppet check valve endwisereciprocable in the casing and seatable on said seat', spring meansconstantly urging the check valve toward its seat, and means fordisplacing the check valve from its seat, said last named meansincluding a movement imparting member guided for axial movement in saidone end of the casing and presented at said one end for check valveactuating contact, means forming a movement imparting `couple betweensaid member and the check valve and including movement compoundingdevices engageable with said abutment shoulder for imparting to thecheck valve a greater amount of movement than the movement of actuationimparted to said member, said movement compounding devices comprise aplurality of levers disposed generally normal to the axis of thecylinder and radially and equidistantly spaced about a central portionof the check valve and pivotally connected at their inner ends to thecheck valve, the outer ends of the levers resting as fulcra on t-heabutment shoulder, and said movement imparting member having an annularrib disposed inwardly of the casing iiange in position to overlie andpress against the levers at points closer to the fulcra contacts thereofon the flange than the distance between said rib and lever contacts andthe pivotal mountings of said levers on the check valve.

4. A check valve unit as dened in claim 3 wherein the movementcompounding devices comprise a plurality of levers disposed generallynormal tothe axis of the cylinder `and radially and equidistantly spacedabout a central portion of the check valve and pivotally connected attheir inner ends to the check valve, the outer ends of the leversresting as fulcra on the abutment shoulder, and said movement impartingmember having an annular` rib disposed inwardly of the casing flange inposition to overlie and press against the levers at points closer to thefulcra contacts thereof on the flange than the distance between said riband lever contacts and the pivotal mountings of said levers on the checkvalve, there also being included a frusto-conical baille mounted on.`the casing and spaced endwise from said seat, and said check valvehaving a frusto-conical portion disposed to form a continuation of thebathe when the check valve is in its open position.

5. A check valve unit as defined in claim 3, there also being included afrusto-conical batiie mounted on the casing and spaced endwise from saidseat, and said check valve having a frusto-conical portion disposed toform a continuation of the batlie when the check valve is in its openposition, said baie and said movement imparting member being in the formof flow passing spiders, and said spring means being interposed betweenone spider and the check valve and seated at its respective ends in thespider and in said check Valve.r

6. In combination, a supporting base, a valve unit removably mounted onthe base, said base and valve unit having therein at least one set ofiiow passages disposed to communicate when the valve unit is mounted onthe base, check valve means mounted on the base, and effective wheneverthe valve unit is removed from the base to close off communicationthrough the base flow passage, a member on the base and engageable andmovable by a part of the valve unit as it is being mounted on the base,and means forming a movement imparting couple between the member and thecheck valve and effective to impart i opening movement tothe check valveas said member is moved by engagement of said Valve unit, said lastnamed means including a plurality of levers disposed in generallyhorizontal position radially about the central portion of` the checkvalve and pivotally connected at their inner ends to the check valve, ashell housing said check valve, the outer ends of the levers resting asfulcra on a portion of said shell, and said movement imparting memberhaving means positioned to overlie and press against the levers betweenthe inner and outer ends thereof whereby the movement imparted to thecheck valve through said levers operates in a direction for opening thecheck valve.

7. The combination as dened in claim 6 wherein the check valve is seatedby spring seating means and the means for opening the check valveoperates in opposition tothe spring seating means.

`8. The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein a frusto'conicalbaille is mounted in the base ow passage and the check valve includes afrustoconcal portion positioned to form a continuation of the bafflewhen the check valve is in its open position.

9. The combination as dened in claim 6 wherein the check valve is seatedby spring seating means and the means for openingthe check valveoperates in opposition to the spring seating means and comprises amechanical check valve unseating means contacting the check valve andwhich is movable by engagement with a part of the valve unit as it isbeing mounted on the base, there also being included a frusto-conicalbaide mounted on the base, and said check valve having a truste-conicalportion disposed to form a continuation of the batiie when the checkvalve is in its open position.

l0. The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein the means positionedto overlie and press against the levers between the inner and outer endsthereof is a depending annular rib which is disposed inwardly of theportion vof said shell upon which the outer ends of the levers rest in aposition to overlie and press against the levers at points close to thefulcra contacts thereof on the shell portion than the distance betweensaid rib and lever 2,441,075 5/48 Krapp 284-19 contacts and the pivotalmountings of said levers on the 2,462,512 2/49 Krone et a1 2845137 checkvalve. n 1 i v Y l levers rest as fulcra is an inwardly directed annularange.

ISADO; E References Cited by the Examiner R WEIL Pmmly xammer UNITEDSTATES PATENTS M M- FRITZ, Ewmineh 2,309,709 2/43 Paine 251-242X

1. IN COMBINATION, A SUPPORTING BASE, A VALVE UNIT REMOVABLY MOUNTED ONTHE BASE, SAID BASE AND VALVE UNIT HAVING THEREIN AT LEAST ONE SET OFFLOW PASSAGES DISPOSED TO COMMUNICATE WHEN THE VALVE UNIT IS MOUNTED ONTHE BASE, CHECK VALVE MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BASE AND EFFECTIVE WHENEVERTHE VALVE UNIT IS REMOVED FROM THE BASE TO CLOSE OFF COMMUNICATIONTHROUGH THE BASE FLOW PASSAGE, A MEMBER ON THE BASE AND ENGAGEABLE ANDMOVABLE BY A PART OF THE VALVE UNIT AS IT IS BEING MOUNTED ON THE BASE,AND MEANS FORMING A MOVEMENT IMPARTING COUPLE BETWEEN SAID MEMBER ANDTHE CHECK VALVE AND EFFECTIVE TO IMPART OPENING MOVEMENT TO THE CHECKVALVE AS SAID MEMBER IS MOVED BY ENGAGEMENT OF SAID VALVE UNIT PART,SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF LEVERS DISPOSED INGENERALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION AND RADIALLY AND EQUIDISTANTLY ABOUT THECENTRAL PORTION OF THE CHECK VALVE AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIRINNER ENDS TO THE CHECK VALVE, AN INWARDLY DIRECTED ANNULAR FLANGE, THEOUTER ENDS OF THE